Page 165 of Give Me Love

His arm reaches around and he slams the open door shut before walking closer to me. Pictures rattle on the wall and one falls.

I don’t back down.

I’m not scared of his temper. “Don’t you fucking throw that friend shit in my face again. You know this is more.”

“More?” I reply mockingly. “That would mean you’d have to admit how you feel.”

His eyes tighten. “Careful, sweetheart. You’re being a hypocrite.” He’s right, but my pride won’t admit it. I know how I feel about him, and I’ve kept it to myself.

I shut my eyes for a moment and hold my hand up. “This is too much.” I grab my keys from the counter.

“Tell me where you’re going.” He steps in front of me. “Kat, I need to work this out.” His voice is stern but emotional.

“Youneed to work this out?” I ask incredulously.

“What about me? What about when I wanted to work this out?” My eyes shoot up to his as I beg myself not to cry. I step to the side and maneuver around him, but he grabs my arm, holding it tight.

I don’t look back as I stand there waiting for him to let me go. Anger and hurt collide in my chest. Seconds take an eternity to pass, and when he speaks, words have never felt so heavy.

“I love you,” he says.

Tired eyes shut as weightless tears fall. My life source kicks up, sending rushing blood through my veins, but I don’t need any of that because he’s right. Love is weak.

“God,” I breathe in prayer.You make me weak.

My lips tremble. This is what love feels like. This soul-crushing pain. “I have to leave, Bryce,” I painfully whisper as I yank out of his hold and pull the door open, swallowing the enormous lump in my throat. Tears fall freely, and I hurry to the elevator before my heart changes my mind.

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The interstate ahead is taking me to a place I thought I’d never see again. I’ve been driving now for three hours, and I can’t believe I did this on a bus all those years ago. I was so young, so hell-bent on making a way for myself because I knew no one else was going to do it. If I wanted anything in this life, it was completely up to me to make it happen.

I found a place to live and got a job to work my way through college. I gained my degree, and now I kind of own the business I’ve worked so hard at since I arrived in Atlanta.

I learned a long time ago that if I wanted anything in life I was the person to do it, but I was wrong. I’ve had help every step of the way.

First, my chain-smoking friend, Lucy, gave me a ride to find a place to live. Claire helped me get the place. Karen gave me my first and only job here, and Austin didn’t really help me but taught me that not all men are bad. And now there’s Bryce.

Bryce Grant.

The one who helped me out of the rain, took me to a black and white drive-in movie, taught me that family should always look out for family, and confirmed that our past does not decide our future.

He’s shown me courage because it takes bravery to take chances, and Bryce has done just that.

He’s gone against his own rules.

He’s fallen in love…with me, when he’s believed his whole life that love makes a person weak.

If I get anything out of this trip, it will be I’ve had time to think. To think about how I’ve looked at life. How I’ve always been so scared to take that step, yet that’s the one thing I did when it meant the most. I stepped right onto that bus, and it took me away from the hell I was living. Ha. Funny thing, I’m going right back, but these are on my terms. No one owns me anymore.

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I’ve checked in to my room in this one-horse town, and now I’m having a cup of coffee at the exact restaurant I worked at when I was just a teenager. I saved every penny I made from this place.

He stole it from me once, but after that, I hid it so well I wasn’t even sure I’d be able to find it.

I watch as the waitresses walk around, tending to the customers that I’m sure are regulars. That’s all there is in towns like this one. Everyday people doing the same everyday shit.

“Everything okay, ma’am?” the young girl asks with a coffee pot in her hand.

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